Please send this along to every high school and college senior you know. Or offer these words to someone going through transition (maybe even you?).

In the meantime, let's get busy with this alive stuff.

XOXO, MJ

Hi friends! Happy Thanksgiving to all my Canadian friends and a good Columbus day to my American buddies. Make It Monday is taking a holiday today because frankly I had a fun-filled fall weekend that offered no time for my project in the wings.Hope to show it to you soon!

One week from today I'll be posting some beautiful DIY projects. Won't you join us in the fun?? We love new friends.

See you back here tomorrow for something simple and so good you'll want to pin it...to your forehead.

XOXO, MJ

Happy, happy Friday! The colors around here, my friends! Oh, they captivate me. We're headed to Michigan to pick some apples this weekend, and my oldest is going to a friend's house for her first sleepover. Nothing fancy, just down home fall fun!!

I have a varied tri- for you to try this weekend! But before we break that down, let's go Do Something Nice (because today is the official holiday to celebrate such gestures). Saturday pull out your best hats and get all kinds of silly and celebrate Mad Hatter's Day. And maybe leave it on for Sunday, too, because that one's Bald and Free Day.

                               

1. PUT TOGETHER TIMELESS HALLOWEEN DECOR

So many scary, fantastical Halloween crafts and treats are around the interwebs! My eye was caught by a more classic approach to the festivity. Landee See, Landee Do had a great idea to put large black and white photos of her children from previous Halloweens and pair them with orange and white stripes and some other objects of the season. The result is really personal, interesting, and perfectly attuned to the trick-or-treat celebrations.

2. STARE AT THESE CREATIONS

You know that I love to post projects and possible items for your to do lists in a Tri to Try. This one is just joy for your eyes. I came across these fabulous pieces of art that combine paper, whimsy, typography, quilling, and color. Way to go Erin Cansen.

3. FEEL YOUR PLACE IN THE WORLD

This one is for the parents reading (or those of you who will be or know people who are parents). And it's a little bit of the passive and a whole lot of the active. Brene Brown, who I've been reading lately, has all sorts of inspiration surrounding vulnerability and daring, two very intriguing topics for me.

She shared portions of the chapter on parenting taken from her book Daring Greatly over at Huffington Post, and I was drawn in to her Wholehearted Parenting Manifesto.

Let me share with you some of the waterfall of goodness, parent to child:

 I want you to engage with the world from a place of worthiness. You will learn that you are worthy of love, belonging, and joy every time you see me practice self-compassion and embrace my own imperfections.

We will practice courage in our family by showing up, letting ourselves be seen, and honoring vulnerability. We will share our stories of struggle and strength. There will always be room in our home for both.

We will teach you compassion by practicing compassion with ourselves first; then with each other. We will set and respect boundaries; we will honor hard work, hope, and perseverance. Rest and play will be family values, as well as family practices.

I will not teach or love or show you anything perfectly, but I will let you see me, and I will always hold sacred the gift of seeing you. Truly, deeply, seeing you.

A special thank you to all of your lovely people who keep coming back to Pars Caeli and in particular those of you who click over between 7-8 am (the most popular click time) to start your day off with a little piece of Heaven. Cheers to a bright weekend!

XOXO, MJ

 It's time for some happiness, friends! Welcome to Thursday and the every-other week series that Joy and I have going on. It's lovingly titled Turn It, and we're talking about how difficulties can become strengths when viewed differently. If you missed Joy's first post about the amazing work being done with MRIs and children's fears, go ahead, check it out (and join us back here!!).

I have two (short, I promise) Turn It stories to share with you this week.

1. Have you seen this story floating around the interwebs? If you were brave enough to follow the link, you'll see an adorable photo/video of a little boy named Carter. Carter travels via wheelchair because of spina bifida.

And if you click over to see this photo of Carter in his Halloween costume, you won't see a little boy who suffers from a challenging disease. You'll see a thriving boy who is living a happy childhood thanks to the assistance of his loving father.

Carter's dad turned it. Carter's wheelchair serves as the foundation to a magical ice cream truck complete with service windows full of ice cream cones. Not just anyone can wear this incredible costume. It was made to delight and show off the talents of one very special ice cream truck driver.

2. Story two comes from my home. The main character of this story is my husband. He is a problem solver by profession and vocation, and he so easily carries over these talents to his life as a dad.

As a co-parent with him, I find myself watching some of his (very successful) strategies.

We have three kiddos (7, 5, and 2), and boo boos, scrapes, cuts, and bruises are a daily happening. My husband and I are working to raise strong children, able to express themselves while also knowing when the sobbing over a hangnail is just too extreme.

A while back, we had reached a stage of parenthood when our children were running to us with every knick and teeny, tiny mark. My reassurance that said injury would be fine seemed to only aggravate every attention-seeking need my children have. The crying seemed to multiply.

My husband started a ritual that is now a part of our family dynamic. When M falls down and hurts her ankle, she comes over to her dad (same process here). Her dad listens carefully and attentively (that's what we all want anyway, right?), and offers his hand. He then says

"Squeeze my hand and show me how bad it hurts."

My daughter squeezes with all her might and receives the silliest, loudest, funniest reaction from her father. She in turn laughs, forgets the pain, and makes her own face to top his performance.

Last week my 2-year old son observed his older sister C fall down from the monkey bars. He ran over to her, offered a caring face and an outstretched hand. He said, "Squeeze my hand and show me how bad it hurts." He does a great silly face; I think it's in his genes.

Today is my baby boy's third birthday. And I am incredibly grateful that his life entered mine. Happy birthday L!

Have you noticed someone around you turning their difficulty around? In even small ways?

XOXO, MJ

It's Wednesday, friends. And that means it's time for a little conversation about children. Did you know that I plan it this way? Here's a glimpse into the editorial calendar: Monday, we create. Tuesday, we simplify. Wednesday, we talk about kids. Thursday, we talk happiness. Friday, we try new things. And that is about as much as I can take on in any given week!! :)

I'm all about this here blog helping my real life and yours be a little bit or maybe even a whole lot better. However, this new once-a-month series is really all about me.

Well, sort of. And by this I mean, it's all about my relationship with my eldest, M age 7, and her sense of learning and literature. And it's about having healthy, life-giving parent-child relationships and finding meaningful ways to connect with the most important people in our lives.

And so maybe it's about you, too.

Remember how I started up a bookclub for M over the summer? Check out this post to find out how you can create a bookclub for your child, too (it's really not so tough to do). We had a ton of fun with her friends: reading, crafting, and eating together.

Now we're in the thick of the school schedule that for us means lots of academics, choir, ballet, Brownies, and a whole bunch of other busy.

But she's still my little girl, and I want to have special time with her (and her siblings, too). I'm also a teacher by training, and I know how critical it is to read at home. If you're looking for some great tips to encourage a passion for reading in your kids, head over to Sandra's blog...it's a great resource.

M and I were looking through summer photos and rehashing the fun we had together, and we decided we should do more bookclubs. But fully knowledgeable of our already-rainbow colored Google calendar, I suggested that we make it a bookclub just for the two of us.

Here are our basic guidelines:

1. We read one book a month.

We get two copies of the same book when we go to the library together, and we have to both be excited to read the book (AKA Mommy cannot force me to read a boring chapter book with a bad cover). We go to the library most Fridays (to get movies) and Saturdays (for special Daddy time) so we have easy access to the best choices.

This means that I get to dive back into some children's literature that captivated me.

AND that I need to be equally enthusiastic about reads that M loves... like our first choice, Meet Kit, an American Girl historical fiction. It's set in the 30s and 40s which opens up all sorts of great conversations about the world as it was! M spent her 5th birthday at the American Girl megastore in Chicago having a festive afternoon tea (see above), and she's been interested in the historical books for a while.

2. We wait to talk about the book until our "meeting".

M is very much excited about a special designated time where we can sit together somewhere other than our house and talk. I am super aware that this desire is likely a fleeting one so I'm soaking it up while I can. I imagine most of our gatherings will be at a local bookstore or coffee shop so that we have some girl time away, too!

3. We watch or craft together based on our stories.

Most of the books we've chosen have been turned into movies. I always love to dish about who would play which characters in the movie versions of our books for my grown-up bookclub, and I know that M will have great ideas on how the books do or do not mesh with the films.

If time so allows, we'll skip the movie idea and instead create something together based on our reading. M already has some ideas brewing for Meet Kit and its historical context, but I also want to be realistic about how much time we'll have to delve into a project.

That's it.

I anticipate my biggest challenge to be her brother and sister who at 2 and 5 will also want a bookclub just for them...so I'll just have to turn that challenge into something else good!

Have you ever read alongside your children? Any helpful ideas to share?

Happy reading! XO, MJ

How different our lives would be if we started with this simple suggestion...everyday.

XOXO, MJ

Happy Monday! And thanks for coming over. It's so good to have you here!!

I'm excited to show you a little something I've been working on. Back in early September I hosted a giveaway where I offered the first three commenters something lovely and homemade just for them. When I posted the giveaway, I wasn't exactly sure what that handmade goodness would be...

So I thought about my three winners: Hana, Louise, and Courtney. All three of these ladies are creative, talented, savvy women. They were each going through transitions with their on-line lives. I know that these sorts of changes can be stressful, annoying, and can sometimes make you question if it's all worth it.

Enter a little bit of printed reassurance. You are exactly where you are meant to be.

Certainly, I thought about the rest of our lives and how we can find ourselves somewhere (physically or mentally) where we never thought we'd be...the sometimes unexpected, notably unpleasant, tough places we land. The older I get, the more I realize how significant these places of challenge are and how much they have to teach us if we can hold on, breathe deeply, and trust.

I loved sketching these and thinking about their future homes in New Zealand, California, and Florida.

 

I asked the ladies what colors might work in their homes, and I received a green and two blues. Beautiful Louise even sent me a photo of her (gorgeous) living room.

The task of converting these sketches to Illustrator files was a time-consuming, but I love how they turned out. I'm not sure which color I like the best?

And for you, dear readers, a black and white version for your downloading pleasure. Sometimes we all need a little reassurance. Click on the image to download the file.

Did you create something this weekend? Any projects on the near horizon?

XOXO, MJ

And a big P.S.: 

I can only take this as God hitting me over the head (which I need)... Today is the feast of St. Thérèse of Lisieux. She's a doctor of the Church, and a woman of great insight (Gretchen Rubin quoted her often in The Happiness Project, too). A friend sent along a piece of St. Thérèse's writing this morning. Check out those first lines. I knew I got these words from somewhere...

May today there be peace within. May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith. May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content knowing you are a child of God.

Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of us.

I made these prints two weeks ago with no remembrance of St. Thérèse's writing. Hmm, I think I have a fresh Divine bump on my head.

And so I'm trusting that God has put me right where I'm meant to be, even when I kick and scream. Thanks for being here with me. :)

Wonder where I live? Right here in the midst of changing corn and soybean fields. And come this time of year they produce the most amazing shade of yellow orange brown (saffron?) that amplifies sunlight from the ground up. It's heavenly.

Happy Friday to you. Are we ready to kick back this weekend?? We're beginning the 3-year old celebrations tomorrow with a visit from the grandparents. My son's birthday is next Thursday, but just like his sisters, he'll likely have at least three (small family) parties along the way. Time to bake some cakes!

In addition to the gratitude I feel for the most amazing son in the world, let us also celebrate Native American Day today. Tomorrow look for wisdom and humor around you as you ring in Confucius Day, honoring the great philosopher. Sunday marks the end of September and National Mulled Cider Day so grab a mug and snuggle up cozy next to those you love!

Here's this week's Tri- to Try. Don't forget that I'd love you to be a part of the DIY date for October, which I'm hosting, and craft something with typography!! If you'd like to post the invite on your blog, please feel welcome to steal the poster jpg that I created for the date!!

                             

1. HANG THE LEAF BUNTING THAT YOU'VE CREATED:

Have you ever been over to the Artful Parent site? Click on over and enter into a myriad of amazing projects for children and adults alike. I've been a fan of Jean's for a while, and I'm excited to show you some of the loveliness she's put together for fall. If you live in a part of the world that has leaves changing colors right now, go out and grab an armful and follow along!

2. MEMORIZE YOUR PERIODIC TABLE:

Nerd alert here. I loved learning the periodic table. My dad is a chemical engineer, and I was fascinated with his knowledge of these boxes and their abbreviated meanings. I suppose the graphic designer in me liked the sense of geometry, order, and balance, too. Gabrielle over at Design Mom posted this nerd-rrific print of a Periodic Table for kids. Check it out over on Etsy...each column means something different for adults and children, and it's really a great teaching tool and a beautiful reminder. Perfect new baby gift for the geeks that you love. :)

3. PRACTICE YOUR CUTTING SKILLS AND MAKE SOME WEBS:

Kelly over at Studio DIY is working up all sorts of Halloween and holiday decor and party ideas. I saw her step-by-step tut on how to make paper spider webs, and I knew we had to try this one at home! It's like all the fun of paper snowflakes without the chill of the impending winter. She posted the instructions over at Amy's blog This HeArt of Mine. Grab your scissors and head over!!

That's all from here, friends! Wishing you a bright weekend.

XOXO, MJ

Happy Monday, friends! Can you believe we have just one more Monday left in September? I have something really fun to share with you all for Make it Monday!!

This is cordially for you (fellow bloggers, artsy crafty friends, skilled readers who want to give it a go):

What will you do with letters or numbers or ornaments? Keep in mind, this DIY can be electronic or printed/created as an object (have those cardboard letters at Michael's been calling your name, too?) or a framed print.

We've had some great supplies to work with these past few months! September was all about sharing the love. Check out the craft kits we created for the children of St. Jude's Research Hospital. In August we came up with some stylin' projects out of beads, and Louise, to celebrate her birthday, challenged us to give our projects to someone. Our first DIY date included washi tape and an experiment for me (that ended well).

Need some inspiration for this typography DIY? Check out these Pinterest boards:

• Jennifer Chong's Type and Lettering
• Lettering Lovelies by Madeline Tompkins
• And two from me: Design Inspires and Print

I really hope you'll consider crafting something with us. It's all about having fun along the way. Reluctant new friends, we want you, too!!

XOXO, MJ

Hellllooo, Friday! Fall is in the air here. With temps in the 50s this week, we broke out the cardigans, pulled up the knee socks, and took in deep long breaths of air filled with smoky leaf scents. Perfect-o.

We're welcoming some visitors this weekend for fall football fun and taking some time just to hang out and make some family memories. How about you?

A big thank you to all you good people who take a minute or six or fifteen (thanks, dear husband) minutes out of your day to stop over here to Pars Caeli and check out what's going on. I'm celebrating you today on World Gratitude Day. Maybe tomorrow you and me should head over to the zoo to spread the thankfulness to the pachyderms on Elephant Appreciation Day (really? I had no idea). Sunday will be the perfect day for a family game event and join in the fun for National Checkers Day.

Here are three great autumn activities for you or your kiddos to try this weekend:

                                 

1. GET OUT THE SHAVING CREAM:

To my dear friends in hot, warm, or just not fall climate regions, let's make these super swirly and fun leaves. I love how Kelly marbled the shaving cream (yes) and paint. All the beauty of the autumn colors plus all the fun of crafting with shaving cream. Yes, yes, yes.

2. MAKE EVERYTHING LOOK LIKE CANDY CORN:

The melty striped triangles just hit our supermarket shelves. I don't love candy corn (anyone get the Nick Jr Moose A Moose reference?), but I love the look of the white, orange, and yellow stripes for the season. Katie Brown did a great round-up of candy corn decorating ideas that has convinced me to change a few of my pumpkins...

3. GET INSPIRED:

If you haven't noticed, I have a yellow spot right over there in the left column for Alt! Alt Summit and now the Alt Channel and the Alt blog are fabulous resources for bloggers, designers, photographers, cool people, and stylists. I have made amazing connections and learned a ton from the dozen or so Alt Channel classes (very affordable at $15/class) I've taken. For blogging inspiration and business advice check out the new Alt blog.

I really appreciated this post from Victoria Hudgins on Setting Up and Styling a DIY. And this one too by Mike Loveland on Photoshop tricks. And scratch off business cards are really the coolest.

I wish you a bright weekend, friends.

XOXO, MJ

    

Oh, my dear readers, I think I have a really good something for you. It's a new series coming atcha every other Thursday from now until Thanksgiving (it's all about gratitude, my friends) only here at Pars Caeli featuring the writings of the talented Joy from Frock Files and me. Joy and I have been all crafty behind the scenes coming up with some stories/ideas/fresh perspectives that we hope will make you recognize opportunity in the problems that come your way and prompt you to use your creative juices for the power of good.

I am so indebted to Joy for her many gifts and especially for this one right here:

Doug Dietz was at a hospital to check out an MRI machine that he had created. He was proud of it and excited to see it in action. But when it came time for the patient to get into the machine, it was a painful thing -- the machine was being used to scan a 7-year-old girl who, for obvious reasons, found the whole experience to be absolutely terrifying.  For an MRI machine to work, the patient must lie still. Getting that scared little girl to be still while the machine made loud, foreign noises around her was impossible. Her parents were upset, the technicians felt helpless, and the little girl did not want to have the scan done.

This was a lightbulb moment for Dietz. While he could have turned around and dismissed the experience by saying there was nothing he could do about it, Dietz instead began thinking about how they could transform the experience for kids by using their own strength of imagination. Along with a local children’s museum, Dietz observed children, interviewed doctors and parents of patients, and began to understand how they could incorporate the simple act of play into the MRI procedures.

The team took their findings and went to work on the MRI rooms with adventure themes. One was turned into intergalactic expedition, simply by painting the walls with murals that looked like outer space. And what better rocket than the already space-age looking MRI machine? The patients became astronauts, while the technicians became mission control. As the once frightening noises of the machine began, the technicians spoke through the machine’s speakers to let their astronaut know that the rocket’s engines were starting up. By making the experience fun, Dietz turned the experience from one of tears to one in which kids come out excited, saying to their parents, “Did you see how fast I was going?”

When this story aired on TED Radio Hour a couple of weeks ago, it struck something deep inside me. While, of course, it made me so grateful that the kids I know are healthy, it made me think about something that’s become increasingly important in my own adult world, as well: sometimes a simple change of perspective is all you need. I thought of all the things I dread and how easily I could turn them around if only I’d incorporate some imagination and play into the ways that I understand them.

From now until Thanksgiving, MJ and I will be doing a series here on Pars Caeli with different ideas about how we can implement this kind of transformative process in our own lives -- for ourselves, the children around us, and our loved ones. By shining new light on unpleasant experiences, we can begin to enjoy our lives more fully -- and that’s definitely something to be grateful for. We hope you’ll join us as we begin this exploration into the power of perspective!

Is there something in your life ready for the Turn It challenge?

XOXO, MJ (and Joy)

        

Did you know that New York Fashion Week is happening as we speak? I would know nothing about this grand happening if it weren't for my dedication to the reality show, Project Runway. Since I began blogging a few months ago, I've found new fashion blogs and bloggers that know how to put together amazing styles. Many of those bloggers are in the prime seats this week in NYC.

I'm following Erin from Apartment 34 on Instagram (you should see the shots she's getting), and I have the inside track on great shows thanks to my buddy, Paige, who is making dreams come true with her own tour of fashion week. Thanks to one of Paige's sponsors, the Moxy Ox, the rest of us can have a free lookbook of Paige's photographs from the shows. Check out that happy link to see how to get yours.

I've been thinking a lot about Paige's journey from Northwest Arkansas to the Big Apple... and thinking about my own dreams for this blog and my career and my family.

Sometimes those big hurdles in front of us can be knocked over by own gust of wind.

Sometimes the giant dream you thought would never come to fruition comes packaged as your own determination.

Sometimes you don't even realize how tall you are until you're in over your head.

Feeling like this today. Thanks T.S. for the great articulation.

XOXO, MJ

It's the fresh waft in the air, the undeniably new and dazzling color palette, and the treasured foods and decor that only come around this time of year.

I adore fall. I mean, I love summer, and spring brings such goodness, and there's nothing quite like a bright winter snow. But...

I am an autumn girl.

For a handful of years, I lived in wondrously warm, sunny climates that offered no change of seasons. And though I loved the ocean and swimming pools all year round, I felt incomplete without the shift into cooler temperatures, falling leaves, and apple orchards.

Pars Caeli went through a bit of a seasonal change this weekend. I've deepened the rainbow to reflect our new tones, added some new social media accents to keep you looking and following, highlighted some of my popular posts, and there are many more great additions to come...

When I began the Summer Edition of this blog, I wrote down all the fun experiences we wanted to have for the summer. Well, here we are again, and this post wouldn't be complete without a Fall Adventure List.

I'll be watermarking posts (thanks, Paige!) to make it more convenient for your to share ideas with your friends (or strangers, why not share the love?).

We waved our last goodbyes to summer with a dinner/splash party at our house. 8 kiddos under the age of 10 were fed, entertained, and sweaty (with no minor or major meltdowns) so I consider it a success.

How are you prepping for fall? Any ideas I could add to my list?

XOXO, MJ